After a long break, ABC was back with its Wednesday night line-up, and I couldn't wait to have Happy Endings back on my TV screen. While, "The Shrink, the Dare, Her Date and Her Brother" wasn't the most original episode, I pretty much laughed from start to finish.

By far the best story of the night belonged to Jane and Max as they had one of their stupid competitions over a sweater which led to their bet to see which one was less vain. First off, the outfits they picked out for one another were insane, but things only got better thanks to their combination of insults and physical comedy. Also, much respect for Eliza Coupe and Adam Pally having the stones to strip down to their skivies for a joke. That's dedication.

The more cliched plotline of the night belonged to Brad and Alex as they were put in the classic "not so close friends with nothing to talk about" story which could've flamed out quickly, but the reveal that they shared a love for romantic comedies was a fun little twist. Damon Wayan's Jr. has been proving himself as one of the most consistently funny actors on the show, and Elisha Cuthbert's been sneaky funny all season (she's so funny when she's randomly eating although her ditzy act is starting to be too much), so I was glad that they got to showcase their talents together.

While Dave and Penny's story was the most problematic and weakest of the night, it was also the one I found myself liking the most. Most viewers were probably scratching their heads after seeing their two shrinks bring up the fact that they might have feelings for one another because it's a pairing that the show hasn't explored, so it felt like it was out of left-field, but I remember seeing some chemistry between them during the episode where Dave's old teacher dropped in. I'm not saying that putting these two together would be the right move, but I don't hate the idea either. Plus, it's not like the writers have many combinations to go through.

Lines of the Night:

"How many times has your grandma died 'cause you said the same thing about half a club sandwich?"

"No! Get back here, you gay!"

"Seriously? I get stuck with the check again? What is the point of having white friends?"

Penny: "You guys are so vain. You probably think this sweater's about you."Max: "Don't you. Don't you dare make that joke."

"He touched me here, and here, and I wanted him to touch me here but he wouldn't. Why wouldn't he?"

Max: "How are we going to decide who is less vain?"Jane: "We can throw acid in each other's faces."Max: "It's psychotic. I like it. What about face tattoos?"Jane: "Mm. Are we talking Mike Tyson or Kat Von D?"Max: "I think we're talking Kat Von Tyson with a little Mike Von D."Jane: "Oh, I like it. I can be down with that."

Max: "Hey, how do you think feel about wearing high-waisted jeans?"Brad: "I think she would have to be high and wasted."

Brad: "So ... stamps went up again. Unbelievable."Alex: "I buy the forever ones, but who knows how long they're good for."

Alex: "Are hip-hop and rap the same thing."Brad: "Yes!"

Dave: "Yeah, he's stalking you."Penny: "Oh, my God. That is so flattering. What do you wear to a stalking? Stockings? No, that's too on-the-nose."

Dave: "Penny's gonna go out with my shrink. That's weird, right?"Max: "Dah-veed. Nothing's weird. I've dated bailiffs, monks, jockeys. My personal best is a butcher, a baker, and a candlestick maker, and yes, we were all in one tub."

"It should be easy to fool her 'cause I'm super easy to fool and we're sisters."

"Wait, what theater is this, huh? I thought this was that 'Murder, death, sports, explosion' film for men with full beards and ample chest hair."

Jane: "You look like Jamiroquai before Labor Day."Max: "Well, you look like Carol Brady right before she was arrested for molesting Bobby."

The first Happy Endings episode of 2012 won't rank up their with "Spooky Endings" or "The Code War," and it won't change the face of television comedy, but it was up there thanks to some solid laughs and actual long-term storytelling. Can't complain about that.